Why Hikaru Shida Hasn't Been On AEW Dynamite Lately

Where in the world is AEW Women's World Champion, Hikaru Shida? Right here...

by Andy H Murray
hikaru shida
AEW

Hikaru Shida hasn't wrestled on AEW television since defeating Abadon on the first New Year's Smash show on 6 January, but there's a good reason for that.

Let's hear from the AEW Women's World Champion herself:-

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It was confirmed earlier this week that half of the upcoming Women's World Championship Eliminator tournament would go down in Japan. Shida appears to have been on production duties until at least late January, with the tourney set to kick off this month.

The full bracket was released on this week's Dynamite, with full-timers like Serena Deeb, Nyla Rose, Britt Baker, and the returning Riho on one side, and a host of Japanese wrestlers on the other. Among them are returnees Aja Kong, Emi Sakura, and Ryo Mizunami, who haven't been seen in AEW since 2019, as well as the elite Yuka Sakazaki.

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Whoever wins this tournament will score a shot at Shida's Women's Championship. There's currently no word on whether or not the matches will air on TNT, YouTube, or a combination of both, but it's an exciting-looking lineup that should at least help generate interest for a struggling division, establishing some new wrestlers in the process.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.